


Stage Actress Crimson Prologue

by ThornOne



Category: Original Work
Genre: Assassination, Gen, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Murder, Original Character(s), Psychologists & Psychiatrists, Psychopathology & Sociopathy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-03
Updated: 2019-04-03
Packaged: 2020-01-01 08:35:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18332462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThornOne/pseuds/ThornOne
Summary: Audria Lin is an unremarkable young lady unable to pass a job interview to save her life. At least, that's what she thought at first.





	Stage Actress Crimson Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Gatekeeper](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/469055) by boxno. 



> Maybe it's not quite original. The set-up is heavily influenced by the webcomic Gatekeeper (https://tapas.io/series/gatekeeper) by boxno, though it's only really this prologue that's a retelling. Consider this an experiment for something I might work more on in the future.

The air in the room was light, cool, and breathable, or at least it should've been. That wouldn't explain the unprofessional amount of sweat. What should've been an agreeable environment had instead become the height of discomfort. Cold air on sweat-matted skin was really an unpleasant sensation.

 

A young woman, looking perhaps no older than 24, visibly squirmed in her dedicated guest chair. The way she carried herself at that moment spoke to someone who had yet to fully take her first steps into adulthood. It was true that she didn't recall having many independent experiences during her time in university or many fellow students she could ever look to in the present for a constant source of companionship.

 

Her appearance perhaps was partially to blame for how she faded into the masses. In almost every way, she was a mere default design for a girl of her age. Not particularly curvy, straight shoulder-length brown hair, a circular face, and probably the blandest fashion choice a girl could think of consisting of white blouse paired with a rotation of one-color skirts.

 

The only distinguishing feature she ever heard mentioned was her eyes. "Doe-like" was typically the word used, though it was perhaps short for "doe in the headlights". Soft round eyes staring blankly at incoming danger while the rest of her refused to move a muscle. Kind, sweet, and considerate in one moment, and depressingly pathetic in the next.

 

That was basically a summarization of every failed attempt at finally breaking into adulthood.

 

If there was anything Audria Lin envied her peers for, it was their seeming ability to turn on their composure when it came time for the all-important interview. Maybe they were freaking out as badly as she was on the inside, but they've always seemed to have a tighter lid on their public image.

 

"Come now Ms. Lin," Dr. Parnell chuckled lightly, "there are plenty of other girls I've interviewed who've done nothing but talk about themselves. Surely you wouldn't have trouble digging up just one qualification."

 

This was the ultimate act of pity. There was no arduous process of searching through a large database to find just one recent job offer just to submit a resume and cover letter among a sea of similarly-worded documents. All she had to do was let her father make a call to an old friend.

 

That wasn't to say Audria hadn't attempted to make a break for independence. In fact, she had made many, with ten nearly successful examples. But she was always halted by the very last step. Entering the office and talking to the receptionist was never the problem, and she once in a while clearly and formally answered her would-be employer's greeting.

 

When it came time for the interview, however, all that sociability seemingly vanished in an instant. All she seemed to be capable of at those moments was fidgeting in her seat, making bizarre single-syllable sounds with her mouth, and breaking out into a cold sweat. Academic achievements meant nothing if she couldn't talk.

 

If Dr. Parnell was just any other interviewer, he probably would've shown her the door right then and there.

 

Audria attempted for the fourth time to say something remotely coherent. All the correct words were in her head. She just had to say them.  

 

Her lips finally parted only for the words in her head to begin to jumble. "I-It's n-n-not that I-I-I do-don't..."

 

"Don't what?" Dr. Parnell asked with an inquisitive tilt of the head. "Don't want? Don't need? Please elaborate for me."

 

The little voice in Audria's head prodded at her.

 

_Tell him how you graduated at the top of every class you attended in university. Give him examples of the various psychological conditions you have studied and their detailed history. Talk to him like you did before you got into that stupid chair! Say something and stop staring at him, YOU USELESS LOSER!_

 

"I'm sorry," Audria said softly. "There's just too much I can say..."

 

It was something, but those few words were pretty much pointless fluff. If it wasn't for the vibration of her own vocal chords, she probably wouldn't have even realized she said them.

 

"I can tell there's quite a lot on your mind at the moment. There's no pressure. All you need to do is just pick one, and we can continue from there."

 

The fact that Dr. Parnell bothered to respond patiently agitated Audria, and she hated herself for how tempted she was to snap back. All it did was create an additional distraction, and now she was back to her infuriatingly silent state.

 

"Maybe you could do with something to drink," Dr. Parnell said finally as he got up from his chair. "I do know the effects stress can have on the throat."

 

A weight seemed to lift itself as soon as Dr. Parnell left the room, enough to finally release the grip on Audria's throat. She felt the urge to scream in frustration as she slammed a fist down on the arm of her chair, but the last thing Audria wanted was to give a psychologist a reason to analyze her like a patient.

 

She had enough of that when she still lived with her father.

 

There were times when she bitterly mused on the fact that she was back taking work in the psychology field after spending so much of her time in university attempting to distance herself from it.

 

That was the inevitable when your father just happened to be a respected teacher in the field. Dr. Parnell was just one of the oldest students who owed a "debt" to him. It was honestly surprised Audria that she couldn't sense any suppressed frustration from him during their one-sided exchange.  

 

As a matter of fact, he seemed somewhat enthusiastic about the favor. At the very least, he seemed to perk up quite a bit when he opened the door to meet her. Now that Audria had the time to gather her thoughts, none of this really felt like an interview at all. It was like he was deliberately trying to present a casual atmosphere, definitely not something she got from every other office she had been interviewed in.

 

Something clanged behind the walls. Audria's body clenched up, breaking her out of her train of thought.

 

There was a thud. Then silence. Audria's mind quickly put together a theory. For once, she didn't hesitate.

 

Five seconds later, and she instantly regretted the immediate response.

 

Mr. Parnell lay in a pool of his own blood, his white shirt completely matted, his eyes staring vacantly in Audria's direction, his jaws locked in an expression of desperation. The toppled over carton of orange juice that had presumably once been in his hand only served to spread the blood out even further.

 

The body paled in comparison to the man looming over his body. With the exception of the white medical mask obscuring his lower face, much of his figure was clothed in black from his shoes, to his suit, to his gloves. The slick sheen was the only indication that he even had blood on his glove tips, though the stained kitchen knife was a clearer sign of what he had just done.

 

And yet, what parts of his face were visible were disarming, very much disturbingly so considering his crime. There was an almost understanding calmness in his eyes, which seemed almost as soft as Audria's if somewhat narrower with irises that were a duller shade of brown. Even his short dark brown hair was meticulously combed to the side as though he had prepared to host a distinguished lecture.

 

This uncanny murderer was looking right at Audria. She truly was a deer in the headlights at this very moment.    

 

Then the murderer spoke. "You arrived right on time. Would you please take a look at the counter off to the side?"

 

Doing so would mean having to take her eyes off of the man with the knife, more than enough time for him to disappear from sight and bring the blade around her neck. Audria took a step back.

 

The man tossed the knife.

 

And it clattered right at Audria's feet.

 

"Fine," the man said with a disconcertingly casual hint of annoyance as he presented his empty hands. Audria could see no small glint of a hidden blade as his sleeves slid down slightly. "Now will you take a look?"

 

She put a foot down on the knife. The action was slow and hesitant at first but slowly the force began to grow until her leg was shaking was the stress.

 

And then she complied.

 

_Like you've ever had a choice in what you wanted to do._

 

Bitter thoughts turned to confusion as her eyes focused on just what the murderer was trying to present. There were two glasses, one filled with juice, the other with a kind of powder.

 

And just beside them was a small bottle of sleeping pills, the small specks around it a giveaway to the powder's contents.

 

Confused thoughts knit themselves together. Audria's eyes widened with horror.

 

"Oh that's good. You actually caught on without me having to explain a thing." The murder's remark was casual, completely at odds with the scene laid out before them.

 

Stuttered words slipped out before Audria could stop herself. "I-Is that w-w-why you ki-ki-ki--"

 

"It's probably better you don't know why," the killer said. "In fact, I need you to imagine that I was never here when the police come in asking questions."

 

"Wh-What are you t-talking a-about? What do--do you need me to do?" More words came out before Audria could stop herself.

 

She could see a crease forming in the killer's medical mask. "Imagine catching this man in the act yourself. Now imagine he got scared and decided to get a little forceful. How would the scene play out to you?"

 

Once again, Audria had spoken at the wrong time. An image had now been planted into her head, one that filled her with a mix of disgust and fury.

 

Now she was second-guessing the man she had previously pegged as a murderer. And then she imagined herself in his place.

 

"So now you know what to say," the masked stranger said. The crease in his mask formed a slight frown. "Sorry about this."

 

Audria's teeth clanged as a forceful palm slammed against her cheek. Her vision blurred as she hit to floor. By the time her eyes had readjusted, the man was gone.  

 

Her cheek stung at the touch. She didn't even need mirror to know there was probably a sizeable bruise there.

 

What happened next just came naturally.

 

Without giving it a second thought, she took the dead doctor's arm and placed his hand on the bruise. Then she placed it on several other parts of her body, parts of her she knew he would've attempted to grab. Now her story was complete enough for her to make the call.

 

When the authorities and her father arrived shortly afterwards, she told them exactly what happened.

 

She told them how she had gone to the kitchen to apologize to Parnell for her inability to speak during the interview only to see him putting the sleeping pills in one glass. She told them how badly Parnell attempted to cover up what he had done, how he then attempted to threaten her into keeping quiet, how he tried to restrain her, how she panicked and grabbed a knife, and that the next thing she knew the man was dead on the floor.

 

It didn't take too long for the police to find Parnell's stash of photos peaking out of a box in his closet. Audria could've easily have ended up as another in that collection. Upon seeing them, she couldn't help but feel a nauseas knot in her stomach.

 

But that was immediately replaced by a greater sense of relief, one that made Audria more curious than worried. What she seemed to care more about in the moment was that there was no doubt left.

 

When her father tearfully hugged her, apologizing profusely for unknowingly sending her to a predator, Audria could only think about the small half-lie she had told.

 

For a normal person, there'd still be an inkling of guilt for altering the truth in any way, especially when it would make them complicit in a murder. It didn't matter how little mercy the victim deserved.

 

Audria could only note how easily the lie came to her. It wasn't in the sense that she could compulsively lie.

 

_He was just a stranger that wanted to harm me, and I'm safe. Why should it bother me that he's dead?_

 


End file.
